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What a nasty day for baseball =( 39 degrees here in the Northwest ‘burbs, and rainy……. Can May really be just a few days away? Feel sorry for the guys today. A win would certainly make this a better day lol -Dawn

j.k.: Check out my last post on the “Sunday, Sunday” page…
You are really having a time with your espanol,eh, senor?…
And, Dawn, you remember LAST April, don’t you?…that second home game of the year, when they played the Tribe?… Maria and Pat gave me their tickets for that game, and I was never colder at any baseball game or outdoor athletic event in my long, LOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG life…
The Dunkin Donuts people really made a financial windfall that day, selling coffee… at least they did to me…but, as the old cliche goes(and BTW, has anyone ever heard of a NEW cliche?)”…It’s just as cold in the other dugout as it is in yours…”
After today, when the merry month of May hits, as the boys have a day off north of the border in Toronto…well, just take a look at the schedule for next month…
As jk would now say, “AY, CARAMBA!!!”…Two, count ‘em, TWO homestands, totalling nine games… the other 20 games scheduled are away from home…
What fiendish torturer would make up that type of schedule?

All i am saying is if Brian Anderson was Brian Rodriguez and he was the same terrible he has been since 2005…….he would be termed one of “ozzie’s guys”. you hear that a lot about Uribe, contreras, vazquez etc….

My patience is running thin on Cabrera and Alexei. More so with Ramirez, because at least Cabrera is playing good defense. The only time this season I remember Cabrera coming up big at the plate was his HR against Detroit, or if you count is bases clearing double the first Sunday night game of the year, but at that time we already had a solid lead. My vote is send Ramirez down and bring up Jerry. Then maybe you can move Cabrera down in the lineup where Thome and Konerko are at least hitting with someone on base.

lets hear about how great that bum anderson is….he can’t hit the fricking ball so they give him the squeeze and then he gives the worst effort i think i have ever seen on a squeeze bunt. now hernandez just put it out of the park.

ozzie goes and puts jenks in to pitch the ninth…vazquez had been sailing all day and the orioles OWN jenks. Why wouldn’t you just let vazquez finish off his game? it wasn’t like he was struggling through the 8th inning. he had it on cruise control. hopefully we can pull this out but my goodness this has been a terrible game.

that ramirez cat is not ready to be in the major leagues. Uribe should be playing every day. he will eventually get up to 230 but he will knock in 70. (would have knocked in one of those 84 runners ramirez stranded today).

No excuse, none whatsoever for the debacle in the bottom of the 8th. Two on, none out and no sacrafice by Swisher, that is just simply poor game management. If he can’t bunt pinch hit for him with Pablo.

The O’s received another gift compliements of our boys and don’t tell me games in April don’t matter. They all matter, that’s why they play them.

Please send Anderson back to the minors. We can’t have mediocre players stink up another season for us. I went to spring training (never again will I do that) and it was painful to watch these minor league players.

Don’t need to wait for the end of today’s game to post. Jim Thome needs to go. Is anybody else as sick of watching this guy strikeout as I am. Yeah, ok once in a great while he hits one out but he is without a doubt, the WORST clutch hitter on the SOX, and he is without doubt way, and I mean way, past his prime. (BTW, Thome just struck out again for the third time today, after three yesterday). What is wrong with bringing Josh Fields up to DH and fill in once in a while ?
While I’m at it whatever happened to Jenks fastball ? In 05 he was routinely hitting 97-100. Now he routinely hits 92-93. He is very hittable these days. Like to see the SOX get a REAL closer because he is average at best. AND he should never, repeat never, be brought in to face the orioles.
Come on folks, this ain’t rocket science.

Don’t need to wait for the end of today’s game to post. Jim Thome needs to go. Is anybody else as sick of watching this guy strikeout as I am. Yeah, ok once in a great while he hits one out but he is without a doubt, the WORST clutch hitter on the SOX, and he is without doubt way, and I mean way, past his prime. (BTW, Thome just struck out again for the third time today, after three yesterday). What is wrong with bringing Josh Fields up to DH and fill in once in a while ?
While I’m at it whatever happened to Jenks fastball ? In 05 he was routinely hitting 97-100. Now he routinely hits 92-93. He is very hittable these days. Like to see the SOX get a REAL closer because he is average at best. AND he should never, repeat never, be brought in to face the orioles.
Come on folks, this ain’t rocket science.

Ok, lets get off the ledge gang. We are in first place–for now anyway. Agreed there are for sure some things needing improving, but so much anger! I’ll hop on a few wagons though–Jenks should not ever be allowed to pitch against Baltimore. They kill him! I don’t agree that Javy should have been kept in. Its early in the season, his count was up and that’s why you have a closer, to finish it up. Poor choice of Jenks against the O’s but should have never come to one run. I think we left at least 14 men on base and between yesterday and today over 20. That is the real issue, moving baserunners. Everyone swings for the fence. I am a BA fan, but that bunt attempt was pitiful. Not to defend him, but I will, the pitch was in on him. I think Ramirez needs to go down and get some hits. He just looks so awkward up at the plate to me! I am getting a little concerned about our averages. Crede and AJ are probably the only two you can count on. Wow, I sound like I’m on the ledge now too. If things don’t go well in the Twin Cities, I may be!!

and moving the game to Baltimore reminds me of this blast from the past. (The radio is saying the game will be resumed in Baltimore either August 24th or August 25th…the Sox will be the “home” team.)

August 12, 1990- The Sox set what is believed to be the longest wait in baseball history before calling a game because of rain. The Sox were slated to play the Rangers at Comiskey Park in an afternoon contest starting at 1PM Central time. Persistent rains cause a delay before the first pitch was even thrown. Because this was the last trip into Chicago by Texas, the Sox waited until the evening before “officially” calling the game. The wait lasted seven hours and 23 minutes!!! As it turned out the Sox had to play the make up game in Arlington as part of a double header the following week. It turned out the Sox would lose the game 1-0 in extra innings. It featured Nolan Ryan continuing to throw at the Sox and a fight at second base.

To answer the question about a possible make-up date, Baltimore comes to Wrigley June 24 and the Sox finish a 3-game set at Wrigley June 22. Both the O’s and the Sox have June 23 off. I would expect them to finish today’s game on that day.

The only downside of course is that the Sox are headed to LA for a 3-game set with the Dodgers that starts June 24. It would unfortunately complicate an already surprising 3-day west coast trip sandwiched by two series in Chicago against the Cubs.

I would almost prefer keeping that off-day and finishing the game in Baltimore in August where the Sox would still obviously be the “home team” even though the crowd would be pro-Orioles.

I posted today after the game and I should have more up there tomorrow about Ozzie’s decision to use Jenks and some of the worries that have been expressed today like Thome and the Sox’s low batting averages.

Hey Frank, how can you type with a straight jacket on? I have read some crazy rantings on this board but you take the cake, game, set, match.

“He is very hittable these days. Like to see the SOX get a REAL closer because [Jenks] is average at best”

This is the most ignorant, ridiculous comment I have ever read on here. We are all upset at the loss and a lot of things went wrong but let’s keep our sanity. If you take away the Baltimore games Jenks has given up NOTHING this year. He gave up 3 hits and 0 runs in his 1st 7 IP this year. He TYED THE MAJOR LEAGUE RECORD for consecutive batters retired last year. In 05 he was throwing 95-100 but had only one more pitch. He now has his monster curve, cut fastball, slider and a straight change and hits 95-96 with his fastball.

I realize this is too much time to waste on such an inane comment but someone had to call it out.

PS. Ozzie, You CAN pinch hit for Thome, really, you can especially against a lefty closer when a hit wins the game.

kenwo and dw. NOBODY on this team can lay down a bunt. So you decide to kick BA about it? does he need to get that bunt down? yes. he didn’t. move on, boys. How about the bigger picture of who the idiot was that called that play in the first place. or even more important, how about the fact ramirez leaves 5 on base (batting .131) and AJ leaves 6. i guarantee despite what ozzie said after the game, it was not ozzie who called the squeeze. did you see the look on his face in the dugout after the play? total surprise and not because BA didn’t get the bunt down. jeff cox belongs in the minor leagues. he’s already cost us many runs and now this game. let’s think this through, you’re playing in a monsoon. the field is unplayable, players can’t make throws. we got a runner on 3rd with 1 out. 1 out. and we squeeze with a contact hitter like BA at the plate? let’s at least put the blame where it resides and that’s with the coaching staff. taking javy out of the game when he’s on cruise control was also a huge mistake. when we had the chance to win, the coaches didn’t come thru yesterday.

i agree with many of you that ramirez has to go back to AAA or even AA to learn how to hit MLB pitching. i’m also scared to death about thome. its clear he can’t hit breaking balls so that’s all he’s seeing. strike out after strike out. enjoy big jim this year because we won’t pick up the option next year.

you all pretty much left my comment about greg walker alone the other day. let’s look at the facts. the big hitters are players we acquired or didn’t play last year, (quentin, swisher, crede). konerko is warming to the task but he largely takes care of himself. the same players that stuggled last year are doing it again…if walker takes credit for AJ starting at .439, then where is he two weeks later now that AJ is below .300?

Hey Bill,
“Hey Frank, how can you type with a straight jacket on? Sometimes they let me out of my cell (like tonight to sit in rainy, 35 degree weather for 5 hours and watch JV throw a GREAT game only to watch Jenks blow the lead in 4 pitches and about 1 minute) to post my rantings.
“I have read some crazy rantings on this board but you take the cake, game, set, match. We are all upset at the loss and a lot of things went wrong but let’s keep our sanity.This is the most ignorant, ridiculous comment I have ever read on here.”
As far as keeping my sanity, I lost that at game #2 of the 2005 WS when I saw Konerko and Podsednik give us all the best win in SOX history.
Sorry to see that my rant bothered you so much, as I have only begun to rant. Take away the Baltimore games ? You mean the two that Jenks has blown in the last week ?
Funny, I thought they ALL counted.
“He TYED THE MAJOR LEAGUE RECORD for consecutive batters retired last year”. Right and the SOX went what 72-90. Yeah individual records are really meaningful.
“He now has his monster curve, cut fastball, slider and a straight change and hits 95-96 with his fastball”.
Yeah and he has been so effectice with his wide assortment of pitches in the last 10 mdays, huh ?
REAL CLOSERS, Rivera, Rodriguez, Papelbon, even Joe Nathan. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm……………………Jenks name doesn’t even come to mind.
I stand by what I said. By the end of the year Jenks won’t even be our closer.
Back to the asylum.

I have to agree with the other guys. If you really think Bobby Jenks is a terrible closer, you are nuts. The guy is in the top five in the AL and has been since his first full season in 2006. It cracks me up how after a tough loss, all the wackos come out of the woodwork saying every player on the team is horrible and Ozzie is the worst manager ever…blah, blah, blah. Like the song says ” Momma said there will be days like this…” 162 games is a VERY long season and the key to a playoff caliber season is to minimize such poor days.

Did Jenks blow the save? Yes.
Did BA blow the squeeze? Yes.
Did Ozzie over manage the game? Yes.

All we as fans can do is shake our heads and hope they turn it around tonight. The playerss will not be able to execute 100% of the time. Heck, a .300 hitter is considered an excellent batter and he only succeeds 30% of the time! The Sox are still in first place and until they aren’t please try to stay on your meds and relax a bit.

Remember all those blown saves? Before Bobby Jenks came along we had closer after closer that would get the fans excited by getting like 15 saves and then they all fell out of the majors.

Jenks is now in his third year of being a consistent, dominating closer (and being one of those means you are going to have a couple blown saves here and there). Why mess with a good thing?

The last time the Sox got greedy about a closer is when they traded away Keith Foulke for Billy Koch. We all know how that worked out.

My post this morning on my blog has some more evidence as to why you are wrong about Bobby. Quite frankly, I’m shocked about your comments. But if Jenks really isn’t the closer at the end of the year then you are welcome to come back and tell us we are wrong.

Maybe my brain is frozen, but….we didn’t lose this game. We actually are currently riding a 2 game winning streak (would love for it to be longer), but whatever happened with the bunting, the hitting, the pitching, that game was not lost. We got lucky and still have the opportunity to win that game down the road.

OK, stand back, boys and girls…
The old man is going to rant… BIG TIME!!!
1) The damn game shouldn’t have been played AT ALL…Conditions were pathetic for BOTH SIDES…
However, Bud Selig and the “usual gang of idiots” at MLB have decreed that these games go on… damn the conditions, damn the effects on players and fans…FULL SPEED AHEAD!!!
2) Ozzie was ticked off about the numbers of men left on base… WHAT NEW???
3)Ozzie was ticked off about the botched bunt attempts…
HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU PEOPLE…NOBODY BUNTS ANY MORE, OR DOES THE LITTLE THINGS ANYMORE THAT HELP TEAMS(repeat)TEAMS WIN…
WANT TO KNOW WHY???
BECAUSE SPORTSCENTER DOESN’T SHOW THE LITTLE THINGS, THE SMALL BALL…
THEY SHOW 45O FOOT HOME RUNS, THEY SHOW BATTERS JUICED UP TO THEIR EYEBALLS, HITTING BATTING PRACTICE PITCHES TO THE NEXT COUNTY…
I WISH THAT ESPN HAD NEVER BEEN F**KING BORN!!!
LET’S GO BACK TO THE FIFTIES WHEN PLAYERS PLAYED FOR THE TEAM SAKE, NOT FOR THEMSELVES…WHEN THEY LEARNED ABOUT DOING THE SMALL THINGS…
AND NOT WHEN THE SMALL THINGS WERE BETWEEN THEIR EARS…
And to all of you who are whining about all the pieces not being in place, you have your rights…
steevy and I will see you when you get your scences back…

You need to live in reality. You sound like my grandpa: “In my day, I would walk through three feet of snow for 20 miles, just to make a telephone call! You kids today are so spoiled!”

The game will never return to that of the 50s, as today’s average big leaguer is a millionaire many times over. In general, the 50’s era players made working man’s salaries like you and I. While many of today’s millionaires are still ‘team players’ it is just not the same, nor will it ever be, as the 50s era. Pitching staffs are vastly watered down and batters are bigger and stronger. Small ball is, and never will be, as big as it was back then. Taking all these things into account, a big leaguer should still be able to lay down a bunt when called upon.

Oh yeah, and I am sure that Bud Selig was sitting around laughing because he made the Sox and O’s play that game. Sorry, but Bud doesn’t make that call.

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